SINCE its introduction in 1988, Rogaine has always been a bit of a punch line, not only for what it does (help grow hair) but also for its sales results, which never quite (insert bad hair-growth pun here). The campaign tries to encourage younger men to start using Rogaine before hair loss is evident, since the product is most effective when used on thinning patches rather than outright bald ones. Rogaine was developed by Upjohn, now a division of Pfizer, but was bought in 2006 by Johnson & Johnson, which created the product’s new identity around the foam version. Rogaine has been available over the counter since 1998, but annual revenue, which was $47 million in 2002, declined to $31 million in 2006, the year Pfizer sold the product, according to the market research firm Information Resources (which excludes sales at Wal-Mart. As for the two versions of Rogaine for men, the color schemes are the same on the labels, but the foam has a sporty scent, whereas the liquid smells slightly medicinal. read more

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